sulfonate
Upper-Intermediate (B2)
IPA: //sʌlˈfoʊneɪt//
KK: /sʌlˈfoʊneɪt/
noun
Definition
A type of chemical compound that is derived from sulfonic acid, often used in various industrial applications.
Example
The laboratory synthesized a new sulfonate for use in detergents.
Conversation
Have you ever heard of a sulfonate?
I think so, but I'm not really sure what it is.
It's actually a salt or ester of sulfonic acid.
Oh, that makes sense! Thanks for explaining it.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
salt
ester
compound
Antonyms
acid
base
alkali
transitive verb
Definition
To add one or more sulfonic acid groups to an organic compound.
Example
The chemist decided to sulfonate the compound to improve its solubility.
Tense Forms
Past: sulfonated
Past Participle: sulfonated
Conversation
I read that scientists can sulfonate organic compounds to make them more effective.
Really? That sounds interesting! How does it work?
They introduce sulfonic acid groups, which can change the properties of the compound.
Root Explanation
Sulfonate is formed from "sulfon-" (derived from sulfur, which comes from Latin *sulfur*, meaning sulfur) and "-ate" (a suffix used in chemistry to denote a salt or ester of an acid). The word refers to a compound that contains a sulfonic acid group, indicating the presence of sulfur in its structure.
Memory Tip
Think of 'sulfur' as the key element in 'sulfonate' — it helps you remember that this word refers to a compound containing sulfur.
Visually Confused Words
sulphonate
sulphonated
subelongate